The Conservative Party
of New York State
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The Conservative Party of New York State |
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Home Events Goals_2008 Priorities State Federal National Issues Join Us History Links |
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Description of Assembly Bills used in Ratings # 1. A 2 Silver - S 1 Bruno This bill has been called the “Albany Power Grab” by Editorial Boards around the state and will appear on the November ballot. The Conservative Party is opposed to the power grab by the Legislators and believes that the Governor should remain the person responsible for the budget. While the bill is being portrayed by its’ sponsors as a method of improving the budget process, it will not. The budget was passed virtually on time this year, without this bill, and we must consider that it was the Legislature that gave us the biggest tax increase ever to fund the programs and member items initiated by the 212 members. #2. A 6362 Wright - S 4289 - Balboni Establishes a state level commission to examine whether slavery and the “physical and psychological terrorism” against Africans in the slave trade is adequately taught in schools. CPNYS opposes this bill which seeks to make the educational policy even more politically charged rather than focusing on education. # 3. A 4254 Brennan - S 2161 Fuschillo Requires state agencies and businesses to notify person of the potential acquisition by an unauthorized person of vulnerable personal information. The Conservative Party recognizes how easy it is to have a person’s identity compromised by unscrupulous computer hackers and believes that government and business has a moral obligation to advise people with notice that their personal information may be compromised. #4 A 4630 Silver - S 3195 Spano This is first passage of a proposed change to the state Constitution that relates to appropriation bills and a Court of Appeals decision upholding the Governor’s role and responsibility in the budget process that serves this state. As stated above, the Conservative Party believes that the Governor should be responsible for the budget giving the voters across the state one voice when they believe the budget is out of control. Should this change, each Member, will be in the position to increase their “member-items” as well as local programs geared to their constituents, and the budget will force all financially strapped taxpayers to pay even more of their hard earned dollars to those who are “entitled” to the fruit of others labors. #5 A 8930 Weinstein - S 5819 Flanagan This common-sense legislation requires that a voters identity be verified and CPNYS has called for this legislation for years. #6 A 8980 Aubry - S 5880 Rules This legislation further erodes the Rockefeller Drug Laws by allowing A-2 offenders the same ability to petition the court for resentencing as was granted to A-1 drug offenders in last year’s reform of the Rockefeller Drug Laws. CPNYS believes that the reform instituted by the Legislature have gone too far in allowing drug offenders to be released and that the message being sent to those who dabble in drugs is that doing drugs is not a serious problem in today’s society. #7 A 8999 Lentol - S 5921 Nozzolio This bill is another common sense bill, supported by the Conservative Party, by restricting the coverage of medication used to treat erectile dysfunction. #8 A 9002 Dinowitz - S 592- Nozzolio The Conservative Party supported this measure to establish criminal offenses related to the manufacture of methamphetamine (crystal meth). #9 A 551 - S 551 Budget Bill for the Legislature and Judiciary. The Conservative Party continues to be opposed to the Legislative Budget that includes member items. #10 A 6230 Abbate - S 4222 Robach Allows Tier II, III and IV members of the NYS teacher’s retirement systems to retire with unreduced benefits upon completion of more than 35 years of service. The Conservative Party opposes any increase in benefits, and this is an increase, to all members of public retirement systems. #11 A 116 Paulin - S 3661 Spano This bill would authorize nurses and pharmacists to dispense emergency contraception without a doctor’s prescription to anyone regardless of age. The Conservative Party is strongly opposed to the legislation which will further endanger women by allowing them to take a drug still being studied by the FDA as well as the probability of increasing sexually transmitted diseases. #12 A 6082 DiNapoli - S5050 - Saland A common-sense bill, supported by the Conservative Party, that seeks to make school districts fiscally accountable. #13 A 8813 Silver - S 5663 Padavan This bill exempts certain clothing and footwear from local sales and compensating uses taxes in New York City. The Conservative Party has been a strong supporter of this type of legislation and believes it should also be permanently adopted throughout the state. #14 Rules Report # 38 to Amend a Budget Bill - Seminerio If adopted, this would have eliminated Medicaid funds for abortions. #15 A 4 Silver The Conservative Party continues to be opposed to campaign financing. #16 A 420 The Conservative Party does not encourage people to smoke, however, it is opposed to further restrictions on people who chose to use a legal substance. This bill seeks to prohibit smoking in dorms, residence halls and group residential facilities, all places people consider their home. #17 A 673 Weisenberg The Conservative Party is opposed to this bill known as the “children’s weapon accident prevention act” on the basis that responsible people will be responsible with any weapon they may own, and no piece of legislation will make people responsible. The Conservative Party considers this a “feel-good” bill…allowing legislators to feel good and doing absolutely nothing to prevent accidents. #18 A 2224 O’Donnell The Conservative Party is opposed to this bill that seeks to require insurance coverage to domestic partners of insured persons. The Conservative Party believes strongly in the free - market and will continue to be opposed to government mandates that increase the cost of business and ultimately encouraging businesses to not offer insurance coverage to any of its employees. #19 A 2413 Wright The Conservative Party is opposed to this bill that seeks to grant the Attorney General jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute police misconduct. This proposal, while it may be well intentioned, is too broadly written and would severely hamper the ability of police departments to perform their duties. #20 A 2486 Wright The Conservative Party believes that profiling is a useful tool in the apprehension of criminals and therefore is opposed to this proposed bill. #21 A 3025 Pretlow This bill seeks to allow school board members who have served ten years to elect to receive state health insurance. Health insurance cost are spiraling out of control and the Conservative Party is opposed to increasing the cost of health insurance provided by the state. #22 A 4111 Espaillat This bill would require hospitals to provide language assistance services to patients, including vision and hearing impaired patients, in all aspects of hospital care, including, but not limited to health care, billing and making appointments. This bill, if enacted, would cause the cost of hospital care to further escalate and more importantly leave them open to lawsuits if such services were not available, therefore the Conservative Party opposes this bill. #23 A 4963 Sanders The Conservative Party believes every child should be free of harassment and discrimination and if another student, or group of students, continues to harass, bully or discriminate against another student, then that student or group of students, should be removed from the school immediately. This bill only addresses the bullying, harassment and discrimination that takes place with regard to sexual orientation, gender or sex and does not seek to protect all children. CPNYS seeks to protect all children and therefore opposes this bill. #24 A 6450 DiNapoli Under this proposal, towns would be given the option of imposing a real estate transfer tax on homes to fund local community preservation programs, essentially boosting land preservation and limiting sprawl. If local voters approve the measure, the new tax , up to 2%, would be levied on the amount of the sale price that is above the median home price in that town. The Conservative Party opposes this bill, essentially a tax on couples who are already struggling to come up with the required money to purchase a home only to have this additional tax used to fund community preservation programs. #25 A 6619 Gottfried The Conservative Party is opposed to this bill, known as the “healthy teens act” which seeks to prevent unwanted pregnancies and occurrences of sexually transmitted diseases among youth. While the proposal appears to be well intentioned, the bill fails to stress the need for abstinence and would cost $20 million. The Conservative Party believes that the cost of this grant would be better spent on real education needs; sex education classes have accomplished little in the past. Bills 1 - 13 passed both houses; Bills 14 -25 passed the Senate only EX = Member excused; ABS - Absent; NM - Not a member when vote taken; MS - in Military Service when vote taken.
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